Single plane optical membrane switch and keyboard

Details Single plane optical membrane switch and keyboard Single plane optical membrane switch and keyboard

1982-03-16

1984-10-30

Nelms, David C.

Radiant energy

Photocells; circuits and apparatus

Optical or pre-photocell system

250229, 340365P, G02B 514

Patent

active

044801823

ABSTRACT:
Photo-optical switch apparatus useful for example in keyboard switches includes a photopolymerized orthogonal matrix of horizontal and vertical intersecting light channels or guides, monolithically formed by exposure to ultraviolet light on a flat planar, plastic substrate. Each intersection has a refractive index higher than either the channel or the adjacent substrate area. A curved tap or light coupler couples the horizontal to the vertical channel of the array. The intersections of the channels are disposed over an array of upstanding projections on a flat mounting substrate with each projection located at a respective intersection of the horizontal and vertical light channel. A light absorbing key pad is arranged adjacent to each intersection to couple light from the channel up into the key pad. A relative loss of light indicates the key being depressed.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3519116 (1970-07-01), Koehn
patent: 3558213 (1971-01-01), Marcatili
patent: 3673327 (1972-06-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 4116531 (1978-09-01), Greenwood
patent: 4254333 (1981-03-01), Bergstr/o/ m
Fiber Optic Keyboard or Data Entry Device, by R. Harris, IBM Tech. Disc. Bull., vol. 23, No. 2, Jul. 1980, pp. 721-722.

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